Year-Ender 2025: Rising Stars and New Faces in Indian Politics

The political landscape of India witnessed an influx of fresh faces throughout 2025.

New Delhi:

The year 2025 was marked by various electoral events across India, including Vice Presidential elections, Rajya Sabha selections, state Assembly contests, and multiple by-elections. This electoral cycle introduced several noteworthy newcomers to the Indian political arena.

Below are some of the significant political debutants who captured public attention, regardless of their electoral outcomes.

Maithili Thakur

This renowned folk singer successfully entered politics by securing victory in Bihar's Alinagar constituency as a BJP candidate. Her achievement was particularly remarkable as she became the youngest elected Member of Legislative Assembly in the process.

Khesari Lal Yadav

The celebrated Bhojpuri entertainer Shatrughan Yadav, popularly known as Khesari Lal Yadav, contested from the Chapra constituency during the Bihar Assembly elections on a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ticket. Despite his popularity, he ultimately failed to secure victory after trailing in the vote count.

Harish Khurana

As the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, Harish made a relatively understated yet successful political debut by winning the Moti Nagar seat during the Delhi Assembly elections, effectively carrying forward his father's political legacy.

JP Singh

A former Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in Himachal Pradesh and 2000-batch IPS officer, Singh transitioned from law enforcement to politics by contesting the Bihar Assembly elections from the Chapra constituency.

Saurabh Thapliyal

This Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member achieved a historic victory in January 2025 by winning the mayoral election in Dehradun. His success was particularly notable for securing the largest winning margin ever recorded in Dehradun's municipal electoral history.